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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · prune · snap · clip · file · pitcher · lie · pass

  1. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. prune — to trim
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. prune — to trim
  7. clip — a video
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. clip — to cut
  14. file — a line of people
  15. file — a document
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. file — a tool
  18. clip — for paper
  19. snap — to click
  20. pass — a permit
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. lie — to recline
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. snap — to snap out of it

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com